Q: With the (season) opener this weekend, what would you say the Broncos' biggest question mark is? Or biggest question marks?

A: Erica, until he completes his first game for the Broncos on Sunday night, or until the team shows what kind of offensive output it can have with Peyton Manning at quarterback, Manning's play will be the biggest question about the team in the public domain.

Players who have had similar surgeries to repair disks in their neck or back — and have had to wait for the nerves to heal following the procedures — have often talked about feeling some weakness in an arm or shoulder on certain days during their recoveries.

It's just the nature of how slowly nerves heal and regenerate.

Manning has not missed any practice time in training camp or in the preseason as a whole. He has also shown good arm strength in his brief game appearances so far. But what it means is Manning may not feel his best in terms of how he's throwing until later this season and beyond.

But again, he has run the offense smoothly, efficiently and made every throw he has to in the Broncos' playbook so far. Nonetheless, his recovery will always be the most closely watched thing about this Broncos team this season no matter how he does.

From a personnel perspective, some of the Broncos' other questions are seen in their current roster construction.

The Broncos are light at wide receiver with just five. And they are light in the offensive line with just nine, including guard Chris Kuper, who won't play for another few weeks because of a fractured bone in his left forearm.

Many teams keep six wide receivers. In this day and age, however, the position is also becoming an area where teams try to save a roster spot or two for elsewhere. The Steelers, for example, kept just four wide receivers on their 53-man roster.

The issue for the Broncos is that two of their five wideouts — Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker — have had some significant injuries, dating back to their final college seasons. Neither has made it end-to-end without an injury in either of their first two NFL seasons.

With Kuper's injury, it means the Broncos will prepare for their first few games with just eight offensive linemen, including just three tackles. They're going to have to divvy up the practice work with some care to keep guys fresh.

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Most personnel executives around the league see the team's offensive line as the biggest question mark overall, particularly in the middle with Manny Ramirez filling in for Kuper at right guard to go with center J.D. Walton and left guard Zane Beadles. The three figure to get challenged early by opposing defenses, given Manning is a traditional pocket passer.

If things get too choppy at times, the Broncos figure to roll Manning out a little more than the Colts did just to give him some space to work. For the most part, however, the Broncos are going to have to find a way to protect the middle of the field.

Defensively, the Broncos' biggest question now is the same one they closed out the 2011 season without an answer. When the group got spread out in the nickel or dime looks — five or six defensive backs — it had plenty of trouble defending the running game.

Tackling is at a premium in those situations. The Broncos simply missed too many tackles among their linebackers and safeties last season, especially in December and January.

Also, the Broncos have banked an awful lot of their defensive plan on defensive tackle Ty Warren being able to return to form. But because of injuries, Warren hasn't played in a regular-season game since 2009. If he isn't up to the challenge, it's a big hit for what the Broncos are trying to do on that side of the ball.

Lockheed says object part of 'sensor technology' testing that ended ThursdayWhat the heck is that thing? It's fair to assume that question was on the minds of many people who traveled along Colo. 128 south of Boulder this week if they happened to catch a glimpse of what appeared to be a large, silver projectile perched alongside the highway and pointed north toward town.

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